Dipo Olowookere
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A global fellowship program for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs has been launched by a serial tech entrepreneur and software developer, Mr Chidi Nwaogu.
The program is a 12-week e-learning, assessment, and mentorship event for individuals to learn everything from ideation to venture-scaling.
According to the organisers, on the completion of the program, participants will receive a certificate of completion to be shared with their professional network.
Mr Nwaogu said the event is for those passionate about solving some of Africa’s most pressing problems through innovation.
“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many have lost their jobs and are now living in an uncertain world. I have decided to start the Savvy Fellowship, to equip passionate individuals with the necessary knowledge and skill they need to start their own impact-driven business and succeed as entrepreneurs,” he said.
“It’s no news that every day, I love sharing with others what I’ve learned from my experience as an entrepreneur, and Savvy is just an extension of that personal journey of sharing for me.
“Savvy is a 12-week-long virtual fellowship program that runs throughout the year. Some of the things Savvy Fellows learn include fundraising for their business, building the right team to execute their business strategies, building buzz around their product or service, achieving product-market fit, scaling into new markets and verticals, and building customer loyalty and retention,” he added.
Using visual presentations, they get to answer all the relevant questions they need to kickstart their impact venture, gain early traction, achieve product-market fit, and scale into newer markets. Some of the things they learn during the program are ‘understanding their customer’, ‘building a product or service that effectively solves their key challenges’, and ‘effectively positioning their solution in the market.’ Savvy is for every impact entrepreneur, no matter what stage their venture is.
During the event, participants can test their understanding by taking weekly multiple-choice quizzes to identify their strengths and weaknesses and work on improving their areas of weaknesses.
While learning, they will be offered mentorship as well from entrepreneurs who have built post-revenue businesses in diverse sectors.
Mr Nwaogu, who co-founded Publiseer, a digital publisher for African creatives, has won the Migration Entrepreneurship Prize by the Swiss Government, the Africa 35.35 Award for Entrepreneurship, the Young Leaders Award for Media & Entertainment, and the Bizz Business Excellence Award.
